Ethology and Evolutionary Psychology Quiz

Ethology and Evolutionary Psychology

• Ethology studies the evolved behavior of species in their natural environment.
• Evolutionary psychology applies an evolutionary perspective to understand human development, thinking, and behavior.
• Life history strategy refers to the timing of major life events like reproduction and parental investment.
  • Slow life history strategy: characterized by later reproduction, longer lifespans, and greater parental investment; often associated with secure and predictable environments.
  • Fast life history strategy: characterized by earlier reproduction, shorter lifespans, and lower parental investment; often associated with unpredictable and harsh environments.
• Cultural evolution: a faster process of adaptation than biological evolution, involving learning and adapting from society and peers.

Genetics and Human Development

• Genetic code: Humans inherit 23 chromosomes from each parent, resulting in 46 chromosomes in total.
  • Chromosomes contain genes which carry genetic information.
  • Meiosis: cell division that produces gametes (sperm and egg) with half the number of chromosomes (23).
  • Mitosis: cell division that produces identical daughter cells with the full complement of chromosomes (46).
• Human genes are composed of DNA, which defines our genetic makeup.
  • Genotype: the genetic makeup inherited from parents.
  • Phenotype: the observable traits expressed from the genotype.
  • Gene expression: the activation of specific genes, influenced by environmental factors.
• Epigenetics: the study of how environmental factors can influence gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence.
  • Maternal stress during pregnancy can affect the epigenetics of the fetus.
  • Early nurturing in rats can lead to stress resilience in offspring, and intergenerational transmission of fear can occur.

Intelligence

• Analytical intelligence: measured by standard IQ tests, focuses on information processing skills.
• Creativity: characterized by the ability to generate novel and valuable ideas.
• Convergent thinking: focusing on finding the best solution to a problem, often measured by IQ tests.
• Divergent thinking: generating multiple solutions or ideas to a problem, a key aspect of creativity.
• Ideation fluency: the ability to generate a large number of different ideas.
• IQ in infancy: assessed by the Bayley scales, which measure motor, cognitive, and language skills.
• Malleability of intelligence: intelligence is influenced by both genetics and environment.
  • Environmental influences: education, nurturing home environment, poverty, culture.
  • Genetic influences: contribute significantly to IQ variation.
  • Momentary aspects: tiredness, concentration, and task approach strategies.
• Stereotype threat: performance can be affected by the awareness of stereotypes associated with one's group, leading to either better or worse performance.
• Criticism of IQ measures: IQ tests are an arbitrary construct and may not accurately reflect all aspects of intelligence.

Morality and Antisocial Behaviour

• Empathy: plays a crucial role in morality, promoting prosocial behavior and discouraging antisocial behavior.
• Social learning theory: moral behaviour is learned through observation, reinforcement, and punishment.
• Moral disengagement: allows individuals to justify immoral acts while acknowledging right from wrong.
• Evolutionary theory: roots of morality lie in the adaptive advantage of prosocial behavior for survival.
• Antisocial behavior:
  • Phase of development: late onset (adolescence) often resolves in adulthood; persistent problematic behavior (early onset) persists across lifespan.
  • Determinants: preconventional moral reasoning, theory of mind, moral disengagement, empathy, information processing biases, biological factors, and coercive parenting.
• Coercive parenting: characterized by power struggles and negative tactics, contributing to antisocial behavior in children and adolescents.
• Moral socialization: approaches to discipline include love withdrawal, power assertion, and induction.

Academic Stress and Dropout

• Academic stress: linked to decreased motivation, poor performance, burnout, lack of sleep, substance abuse, and mental health issues.
• Dropout predictors: include stress, low motivation, and lack of fitness.
• Dropout consequences: unfulfilled potential, poor mental health, and limited future opportunities.
• Prevention: early intervention, vocational education, and support systems for at-risk students.

Effective Educational Strategies

• Classroom management: high standards, task-oriented atmosphere, immediate problem resolution, and social cohesion.
• Effective teaching: operates within the zone of proximal development, adapts to individual student needs, and fosters intrinsic motivation, mastery goals, and a growth mindset.
• Growth mindset: emphasizes the learning process over outcomes, focusing on skill development rather than results.
• Alleviating student stress: effective time management, mindfulness practices, and cognitive behavioral approaches.

Self-Concept

• Personality: includes enduring traits and patterns of behavior and emotion.
  • Dispositional traits: stable personality characteristics, such as extraversion or independence.
  • Characteristic adaptations: flexible ways people adjust to their roles and environment as they develop.
• Identity: a sense of self that includes self-concept and self-esteem.
  • Self-concept: positive and negative views of one's own traits, representing "what I am."
  • Self-esteem: overall view of one's worth as a person, reflecting "how good I am."
• Developing self-concept: influenced by experiences, social roles, and cultural norms.

Gender Development

• Gender roles: societal expectations for male and female behavior.
• Social-role theory: gender roles contribute to and maintain gender stereotypes.
• Gender similarities hypothesis: males and females are more similar than different.
• Infant gender development: infants can distinguish male and female faces by 3-4 months, influenced by societal norms from birth.
• Child gender development:
  • Gender typing: the acquisition of gender-appropriate behaviors.
  • Gender stereotypes: rigid beliefs about appropriate roles and behaviors for each gender; tend to become less rigid with age.